America in 2020:
Nevada, a state in one of the richest countries in the world, has painted social-distancing boxes on a concrete parking lot for the homeless to sleep in. pic.twitter.com/svNJ0N9r3f
— Social Distancing Mancino-Williams (@Manda_like_wine) March 30, 2020
Anyone who thinks the coronavirus pandemic destroys the case for open borders hasn’t thought the matter through terribly far. Bryan Caplan explains here. Just to give a taste, in the name of excluding viruses from our shores, the government would have to stop immigration even when no pandemic was in progress since pandemics can’t be counted on to announce themselves in advance. Moreover, tourism, commercial visits, and trade would have to be abolished too. And — yikes! — so would American travel abroad unless Americans were willing to leave home and never return.
One last thing: since we have nothing even close to open borders, Caplan writes, “How much protection have 98% closed borders given us against the pandemic? The answer: Virtually none…. The sad fact is that even very low absolute levels of international contact have been more than sufficient to spread infection almost everywhere on Earth. The marginal cost of higher levels of contact is therefore minimal.”
Liberty is a necessity, not a luxury — even during serious pandemics.
In this episode Tommy looks at the idea of collectivism from the perspective of the markets, and how libertarians may better discuss the ideas of free markets with both the left and right.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
So you’re stuck at home and want to learn about the war in Afghanistan? Well, I’ve cut the price of my book Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan by half for ya. The Kindle version too. Daniel Ellsberg, Douglas Macgregor, Matthew Hoh, Daniel L. Davis, Patrick Cockburn, Gareth Porter and many others have endorsed it. You might like it too.
They don’t give a liquid shit about you or your family.
I posted a note in this space a week or so ago from my sister begging people to stop hoarding (that is, stockpiling more than they need) the highest quality N95 masks that healthcare workers need desperately. But this is the actual Surgeon General of the USA telling you to not bother wearing masks at all! LYING right to your face that they cannot protect you.
He should be forced from office immediately, along with the scum at the CDC and FDA who have worked so hard to prevent masks from being distributed and preventing doctors and independent companies from testing — for their own interests. While we’re at it, let’s just abolish the national government entirely. Who needs ’em?
Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!
They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!
https://t.co/UxZRwxxKL9— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) February 29, 2020
And now look! The MFer is still at it! (Unbelievable.)
1/3 Regarding masks:@WHO @CDCgov & my office have consistently recommended against the general public wearing masks as there is scant or conflicting evidence they benefit individual wearers in a meaningful way, but real concerns about pulling from the healthcare worker supply… pic.twitter.com/uvjT31ZGt7
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) March 28, 2020
Via the Great Jim Bovard: New York Times writer:
“Why Telling People They Don’t Need Masks Backfired”
To help manage the shortage, the authorities sent a message that made them untrustworthy.
Ya think?
Update: How has Japan kept Coronavirus in check? MASKS.
Asli U. Bali and Aziz Rana at Boston Review on the brutality of sanctions and why they must end. The current covid-19 pandemic has exposed the brutality of the economic sanctions imposed on the world by the U.S. government. This current crisis reveals all of Trump’s personal deficiencies: his narcissism, xenophobia and brutal belief in “American Exceptionalism.” He has filled his administration with Christian and Jewish Zionists, China haters and nationalist imperialists that have used sanctions as a weapon to conduct their “civilization wars” against countries that don’t bow to pax Americana. Trump better get that wall finished because when the rest of the world comes to America they are going to slit our throats for what the government has done in our name.
Hat tip to Joshua Landis follow him on twitter
